Improvement in aerial boats



n, L. nHoNEy EriaI'Boats.,

WITNESSES'. INVENTOR] UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.,

DANIEL L. RHONE, OF VILKESBARRE, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN AERIAL BOATS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 152,414, dated June23,1874; application tiled June 1, 1874.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL L. RHONE, of Wilkesbarre,in the county ofLuzerne and in the State of' Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Aerial Boats; and do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, rei'- erencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, making a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to construct a boat or machine to beinflated with hydrogen-gas or coal-gas, and so arranged that in risingand falling the boat or machine shall be moved forward by means of theresistance of the air on two side wings or projections, and

a rudder moving' on a plane with these wings, and also a rudder on thestern to be moved right or left, as in a water-boat, as will behereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l is a side elevation, and Fig? 2 aplan view, of' a machine illustrating my invention.

A represents the body of the boat, which may be of the form andproportions of any schooner or yacht with its top covered, and in it isplaced the gas-bag, or the gas-bag may form this body. rIhe bottom ofthis boat is projected on each side the desired distance, forming twostationary wings, B B, which are made so as to present the least surfaceat the bow of the boat and increase toward the stern, substantially inthe form shown in Fig. 2, or other form that will answer the samepurpose. These wings are to create resistance to the air, so that theboat in rising and falling will be compelled to take a forward course,on the principle that force always expends itself in the direction ofleast resistance. On the stern of this boat is a rudder, O, moving in aplane with the wings B B, to increase or decrease the resisting-surfaceat the stern of the boat.

Enlarging or contracting the rudder C will elevate or depress theforwardend. In ascending, the forward end is to be elevated, and in falling itis to be depressed. On the stern, perpendicular to the side projectionsor wings CB, is a rudder, D, to be moved right and left, and in so doingwill guide the boat right or left on a horizontal plane.

The principle involved and applied is, that as least resistance is madeat the front end of the boat it must take a forward course, both inrising and falling, and the speed and power ofthe machine will dependupon the ascensive and falling weight of the whole machine. The boat isput in shape for least resistance in front. The wings are to creategreat resistance to any perpendicular ascent or descent, andthe tworudders are to guide the whole machine.

The boat A is, of course, fixed and rigid in form, and whether thegas-bag is inflated. or contracted, the form of' the boat will remainthe same.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The boat A, provided with side wings B B, constructed as described,to present the least surface at the bow and increasing toward the stern,substantially for the purposes herein set forth.

2. rlhe boat A, provided with the side wings B B and rudders C and I),substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this21st day of April, 1874.

DANIEL L. RHONE.

Witnesses 1). H. CAMPBELL, E. A. LYNCH.

